Urbanix Co., Ltd., an urban design firm, signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with Kamo City, Niigata (Mayor: Kiyohiko Koike) on April 27, 2026. The agreement aims to respond swiftly and appropriately to local challenges, improve citizen services, and revitalize the area.
Background and Objectives
Kamo City faces challenges including a rising number of vacant storefronts and underused properties, and the need to make better use of public space. Under this agreement, URBANIX will carry out area survey analysis and introduce its urban DX service, Placebook, to visualize the area's potential — building an environment where young entrepreneurs and side-business owners can take on the challenge of opening a shop with less risk. The aim is to generate vibrancy and advance renovation-led urban regeneration.
Kamo City formulated its "Kamo Station Area Downtown Future Vision" in October 2024, and this agreement is positioned as part of the effort to bring that vision to life.
Key Areas of Collaboration
1. Identifying priority regeneration areas through survey analysis
This visualizes high-potential areas among vacant storefronts, vacant houses, and public spaces, identifying the areas most likely to deliver a strong return on investment.
2. Aggregating and sharing local information through a data-visualization platform
Public spaces and shop information are visualized to improve circulation and encourage exploration among residents and visitors.
3. Linking with ongoing initiatives around Kamo Station
Working in step with the renovation-led urban regeneration already underway around Kamo Station, the partnership will measure impact through survey analysis and pilot testing.
About Kamo City
Kamo City is a town in Niigata Prefecture known for its woodworking and textile industries and its rich natural surroundings. In recent years the city has advanced public-private urban regeneration centered on the Kamo Station area platform. Since a preparatory council was established in fiscal 2023, the city has held working groups and seminars, culminating in the formulation of the "Kamo Downtown Future Vision" in October 2024.
Source
This article is based on an announcement published on the official Kamo City website.
Making Kamo "a city where more people want to take on a challenge" — signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with Urbanix Co., Ltd. (April 27) (Kamo City, in Japanese) ↗